Live cricket dispenser



May 15, 1956 J. w. KIMBALL 2,745,209

LIVE CRICKET DISPENSER Filed OCt. l2, -1955 F fg.

INVENT OR Jerome W K/'mba/l Unid States ,Patent '0 2,745,209 n LIVE CRICKET DISPENSER Jerome W. Kimball, Savannah, Ga.

Application October 12, 1955, Serial No. 539,994

Claims. (Cl. 43--55) This invention relates to live cricket dispensers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a live cricket dispenser which will yield live crickets to a iisherman in a very easy manner, one at a time, for the purpose of bait, live crickets otherwise being of an unmanageable nature.

lt is another object of the present invention to provide a live cricket dispenser of the above type wherein scores of live crickets may be loaded into the device at one time and wherein one cricket only will be yielded at a time, as needed, and wherein the crickets will remain alive within the dispenser.

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, indicates a hollow cylindrical container of fine wire mesh or metal cloth having self-shape retaining characteristics having a circular top wall 11 and open at the bottom, a metal ring 12 being secured to the undersurface of top wall 11 around the periphery thereof for imparting greater rigidity to the container.

A cylindrical metal container 13 being open at the top is formed thereat with a rolled edge or` rim flange 14 which slidably abuts the inner face of the wire container 10, the metal container 13 being closed at the bottom by a bottom wall 15. The metal container 13 around the periphery of ithe bottom wall 15 is formed with a rim iiange or rolled edge 16 of greater diameter than the container 13 and which is adapted to abut the open lower edge of the wire container 10 whereby to limit the inward displacement of the container 13 in an obvious manner. The metal container 13 near its lower end is provided with a circular opening 17 vertically spaced from the bottom wall 15.

An inner sleeve of fine mesh wire or metal cloth 18 of shape retaining characteristics is secured inside the lower open end of the container 10 providing an extension adapted to abut the flange 16 of the metal can and forming a stop adapted to abut the upper flange 14 whereby to limit the outward displacement of the metal can 13, as shown in dotted outline in Figs. 1 and 2.

The sleeve 18 is provided with an opening aligned with `the opening 17 of the metal can 13 when the latter is in the closed position and a frusto-pyramidal chute 19 of fine wire mesh or metal cloth of shape retaining characteristics is secured across the opening in the sleeve 18 and the lower end of the container 10, the chu-te 19 having the upwardly and outwardly inclined ramp or bottom wall 20. The reduced outer open end of the chute 19 is norice 2 mally closed by the leaff spring member 21 secured 'to the undersurface of ramp Z0 and terminating in the end closure 22 having the upwardly and outwardly bent upper end 23 whereby lto facilitate the opening of the same to the dotted line position of Fig. 2. The container 13 is retained in either the closed or open position by frictional `engagement between the rim llange 14 thereabove and the container 10.

In operation, the metal container 13 is moved to the downward open position shown in dotted outline in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby the live crickets in quantity may be loaded into the metal container through the opening 17 thereof, The container 13 is then moved to the closed position to permit the dispensing, one at a time, of the live crickets up the ramp 20 of the chute 19, where they may be released one at a time by releasing the spring closure 22. The crickets will remain alive due to the wire mesh construction of the container 10, as well as chute 19. The dispenser, it will be apparent, is easy to clean and will not have any lost parts. Thus, there is provided a simple and novel device that will be most useful to the fresh water fisherman.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is: t

l. A live cricket dispenser comprising a first cylindrical casing closed at the top and open at the bottom, said casing being formed of material adapted to permit the circulation of air therethrough and having shape retaining characteristics, a second impervious container slidably mounted within the open end of said first container, the inner end of said second container being open and the outer end thereof being closed, said second container being of less'length than said first container, stop means for limiting the inward displacement of said second container through said first container, second stop means limiting the outward displacement of said second container through said first container, said second container having an opening therein adapted to permit the loading ofa quantity of live crickets therewithin when in the outer position relative to said first container, said lirst container having a chute extending outwardly therefrom adapted to be aligned with said second container opening, when said second container is in a closed position and spring closure means at the end of said chute.

2. A live cricket dispenser according to claim l, said first stop means comprising an inner sleeve telescopically fitting within and secured within the lower open end of said first container, said sleeve being adapted to permit the passage of air therethrough, said impervious container around the bottom thereof having a liange adapted toV abut the open end of said sleeve whereby to limit the inward displacement of said second impervious container, said sleeve having an opening aligned with said chute.

3. A live cricket dispenser according to claim 2, said second. stop means being a rim flange adapted to abut the inner edge of said sleeve whereby to limit the outward displacement of said second container.

4. A live cricket dispenser according to claim 3, said chute having a reduced open end and being formed of material adapted topermit the circulation of air therethrough and having an upwardly and outwardly extending bottom wall extending to the reduced open end of said chute, said spring means comprising a leaf spring secured to the undersurface of said upwardly and outwardly extending bottom wall and terminating in a spring closure extending across the outer end of Said chute and ter- E 4 minating in an upwardly bent end to facilitate opening References Cited inthe file of this patent thereof i UNITED STATES PATENTS 5. A hve erlcket dlspenser according to claim 4, 1ncluding a ring secured Within the Closed end of said first 368399 Hubbell -4 Aug- 161 1887 container for increasing the rigidity thereof, said second 5 1,391,840 Leach Sept- 27 1921 container being open at the upper end thereof and closed 25 871899 Rhodes Mar' 4' 1952 at the bottom end thereof. 

